Grinding-mill



(N0 Model.)

T. J. OBENUHAIN. Grinding Mill,

No. 234,199. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

I I1 a' i T 1 2. 1; II I IW 1'1 I II I I B UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. OBENOHAIN, 0F LOGANSPOHT, INDIANA.

GRINDING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,199, dated November 9, 1880.

Application filed May 3, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. OBENOHAIN, of Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grinding-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in under-running mills for grinding wheat, corn, middlings, bran, &c., in which the upper or bed stone is pivoted to a rim, and said rim is pivoted to a yoke, and said yoke is pivoted to standards on the lower case-frame, and the yoke operated in conjunction with a counter-weight and a lever, fulcrumed also to standards on the case-frame, and the lever provided with a counterpoise-weight for balancing the upper self-adjustablebed-stone; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to balance the upper or bed stone, which is hung in universal bearlugs in a counterbalanced yoke; second, to operate the counterbalanced yoke by a lever and weight; third, to afford facilities for the automatic adjustment of the pressure of the upper or bed stone on the runner; and, fourth, to provide a means of keeping the bed-stone 1n tram with the runner, and at the same time automatically regulate its pressure on the runner. These objects I attain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of my improved grinding-mill, partiallyin section, and Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine as it would appear in working order.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A A represent the frame of the mill, having secured at its top the case B, in which the running-stone operates. At the base of the frame A is secured an arch or spider-frame, T, having a socket, T, in its center, for the step-box S, and the adjusting-screw w for adjusting said step-box and the vertical shaft P. The lower end of vertical shaft P is mounted in the step-box S, and its upper end is attached to the running-stone case L.-

The under central portion of the case B is provided with suitable bearings O for supporting the shaft near its upper end, and the shaft is provided with a pulley, R, from which a belt may be run in any desired direction.

The upper edge of the case B is provided (No model.)

with aflange, (J, on the upper surface of which are secured the standards E E, one on each side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The yoke H H is semicircular in form, as shown in Fig. 2, and its extreme ends or forks n n are provided with screw studs or pivots a a, which pass through the ends a n and enter the annular ring I on each side diametrically opposite each other, thus balancing the ring I on said pivot-studs. A short distance back of the pivot-studs a a the yoke H H is pivoted to the standards E E by the pivotstuds G G, as shown in Fi 2. The bed-stone J is also pivoted to the annular ring I by the pivot-studs a a diametrically opposite each other and at right angles to the pivots a a, which support the ring I in the yoke H H, thus forming a universal joint for the stone and a lever for raising or lowering it.

The central portion of the yoke H H, opposite the pivot-stud a is provided with a stud, d. on which one end of the lever g operates, with a counter-weight, f, also attached. The lever g is fulcrumed in a stud or a pair of studs, 1) b,which are also secured to the flange O of the case B, and the lever is provided with an adjustable counterpoise, m, all as shown in Fig. 2.

By these newly constructed and arranged devices the bed-stone is hung by a universal joint to the rim I and yoke H H. The yoke forms a lever for raising or lowering the stone, and its weight, in connection with the counter-weight f, is more than enough to balance the bed-stone and ring I, thus causing the bedstone to raise up off the running-stone. The lever g, in connection with the yoke, forms a compound lever for raising or lowering the bed-stone.

The weight at may be adjusted so that the bed-stone will have any desired pressure on the runner, by means of which the mill is perfectly automatic in its operation-that is, the bed-stone will always be in tram with the run ner, and the grinding-pressure, when once adjusted, will remain even.

The expansion or contraction of the shaft P does not bring the faces of the runner K and bed-stone J closer together or wider apart, causing them to grind finer or coarser, because the upper stone yields up or down relative to the expansion or contraction of said shaft.

On the flange C of the case B is an annular ring or curb, I), having its inner flange, p, fitted inside of the case B. The upper edge of this curb projects above the lower outer edge 5 of the ring I, forming a loose joint therewith, and the upper edge of the curb D is provided with an annular ring, r, of rubber,which forms a flexible joint with said ring I, and permitting the said ring to rise or fall therein without permitting the dust to pass out.

\Vhen it is desired to remove the bed-stone for any purpose the lever g and \veightf are removed from the stud d of the yoke II, also the pivot-screws G G are removed from the forks of the yoke by screwing them back in the standards E I. The yoke II can then be turned up over the center of the stone on the pivots a a and form a bail, by means of which and a crane or other appropriate device the bed-stone may be lifted up and removed.

When the mill is in operation the weight m is adjusted on the leverg to give the required pressure through the medium of the pivoted yoke II and ringl of the bed-stone on the runningstone, and, after being adjusted to grind high or low grade, the faces of the two stones will retain their relative position to each other, no matter how much or little. the spindle may be lengthened or shortened by expatr 3o sion or contraction.

I am aware that prior to tny invention grinding-mills have been made with the spindle and running-stone adjustable, operating in conjunction with a bed-stone mounted in a universal joint. 1 therefore do not broadly claim such a combination but \Vhat I do claim as my invention, and dc sire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a grinding-mil], of the bed-stone J, pivoted by pivot-studs a a 0 diametrically opposite each other, to a ringcase, I, the ring-case I,also pivoted to the ends of the forks ot' the yoke H H by pivot-studs a a, also diametrically opposite each other, the yoke II II. pivoted to the standards E E 5 by pivot'studs G G, forming a lever, the stud d, with weight f, the lever g, pivoted to the stud (I and fulcrum-standard b b, and the adjustable weight m, substantially as described, for the purpose specified. 5o

2. In a grinding-mill, the combination of the ring I with pivot-studs a a, the yoke H, pivoted to the standards E E by the studs G G, and provided with the studs a a and d, the lever g, pivoted to the studs d and fulcrumstandard M, and the weights m andf, arranged to operate the bed-stone, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the running-stone and rigid spindle, the bed-stone, mounted in a universal joint, one part of which joint consists of the pivoted lever-yoke H, the lever g, and its adjustable weight, whereby the bedstone is held in tram with the running-stone and adjusted to be raised or lowered with an even grinding-pressure between the stones as the spindle ot' the running-stone is lengthened or shortened by reason of expansion or contraction, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. OBENGHAIN.

\Vitnesses:

E. 0. FRINK. GEORGE H. RENNETT. 

